The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper (April 17-23, 2023)

Bangsamoro Parliament adjourns sine die; passes Electoral Code, three other bills, 60 resolutions

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Parliament adjourned sine die the first regular session with the passage of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, one of the priority codes that should be enacted during the transition pe-

riod until 2025. Since the members of parliament were sworn in last September, the interim government of the Bangsamoro region has been productively enacting laws that will serve as the framework for the

TikTok is potential Cybersecurity risk to U.S.

TIKTOK IS a "potential threat vector" to the Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2

regular parliament, which will begin in 2025.

BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim fulfilled his commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the electoral law would be passed by the Continue on page 6 Continue on page 6

Airmen assigned to the Maryland Air National Guard’s 275th Cyberspace Operations Squadron work on a computer terminal at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport in Middle River, Md., (Pentagon photo)

MNLF slams Israel for mosque attack

Palestinians perform morning prayers by the Al-Asbat Gate as Israeli police again raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East Jerusalem on April 05, 2023. Israeli police used sound grenade and rubber bullets on Palestinians. (Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency)

EDCA will protect Philippines: Marcos

PRESIDENT FERDINAND

Marcos Jr. said the presence of U.S. forces in the Philippines under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will help protect the country and strengthen its defense amid the growing tension in the South China Sea.

our Allies and partners. (Photo by Army Staff Sgt. Agustín Montañez, Army National Guard)

The Philippines and the United States have recently announced four

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ZAMBOANGA CITY – Former Muslim secessionist group Moro National Liber-

AMBOANGA CITY – Former Muslim secessionist group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has strongly condemned the Israeli attack on Palestinian ation Front (MNLF) has condemned the Israeli attack on Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem at Mosque in East Jerusalem.

Dozens of Palestinians were injured and hundreds arrested by Israeli police in the recent raid, sparking Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2

Malaysia lists Sulu sultan as terrorist

SULU – Kuala Lumpur has listed as a terrorist one of the eight descendants of the sultan of Sulu who secured a disputed arbitration award against Malaysia last year.

The Filipino heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu are seeking to enforce a $14.9-billion award granted to them by a Continue on page 7 Continue on page 7

Sindangan, gitamnan sa sibuyas sa ZNAg program

sa presyo sa sibuyas bombay, ang Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) sa liderato ni Gov-

A portrait of Sultan Muhammad Fuad A. Kiram I from The Royal Hashemite Sultanate of Sulu and Sabah.

MNLF condemns Israeli attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque

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Continued from page 1

widespread clashes and protests in the West Bank during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“We strongly condemn the recent attack on our Muslim brothers and sisters who were praying inside Al-Aqsa Masjid in this holy month of Ramadan. This violent act goes against the fundamental principles of humanity, respect, and tolerance. Every individual has the right to practice their religion freely without fear of violence or persecution,” the MNLF said.

“The attack on Al-Aqsa Masjid by the Israeli soldiers is not only an attack on the Muslim community but also an attack on the sanctity of a religious

site that holds immense significance to millions of people around the world. We must all stand together to denounce such senseless acts of violence and work towards creating a more peaceful and harmonious world,” it added.

Israeli said security units were forced to enter a prayer hall in the Temple Mount compound, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif, after what it called masked agitators barricaded themselves inside the mosque after nightly Ramadan prayers, in violation of an agreement ahead of the holy month that worshippers would not be allowed to stay in the house of prayer overnight.

Manila has not issued

any statement on the raid, but Israel is a major supplier of weapons to the Philippines.

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, also condemned the attack. “As Palestinian Muslims gathered for Ramadan prayers exercising their right to worship in Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israeli authorities used blatantly excessive and unjustified force against them,” she said.

Albanese said Israeli forces violently entered Al-Aqsa Mosque, used stun grenades and tear gas, fired sponge-tipped bullets, and indiscriminately beat Muslim worshippers – including el-

derly people and women – with batons and rifle butts. She added that at least 450 Palestinian men were reportedly arrested, and some were kicked and slapped by escorting soldiers as they were led out of the Haram Al-Sharif compound in handcuffs. She deplored the “reckless and unlawful” actions of Israeli forces, which reportedly allowed some 165 Jewish Israelis to enter the compound, in violation of the Status Quo Agreement, which Israel is bound to respect. “The well-known desire of Israeli settlers to either destroy the mosque or forcibly convert all or part of the compound into a synagogue, as happened to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, is a source of deep anxiety among Palestinians,” she said.

The Special Rapporteur noted that similar violence took place during the holy month of Ramadan in 2021 and 2022, adding to the daily violence under Israeli occupation.

“These actions have led to a spiralling situation of rocket fire into Israel and missiles launched into Gaza, endangering civilians on both sides of the Green Line. I am alarmed by the escalation of violence, particularly because of the further devastation it will bring to Palestinians in Gaza, who have been trapped by an inescapable siege since 2007,” Albanese said.

“Over the years, Israel has not ceased its violent attacks against Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in violation of international law,” she said, calling on the internation-

al community to step up efforts to hold the occupying power accountable for its unacceptable behaviour in the occupied territory before the situation spirals further out of control.

“It is imperative that all parties comply with international law, without exception,” she said. “Failure to do so fuels and perpetuates the culture of injustice and impunity.”

Israel announced it would extend a closure on Palestinians entering Israel from the West Bank, and would also suspend special entry permits for Palestinians in Gaza to visit Israel for Ramadan prayers and for work, according to the Washington-based, non-profit media organization, National Public Radio. (Mindanao Examiner)

TikTok is potential Cybersecurity risk to U.S.

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Continued from page 1

United States, said John F. Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy and principal cyber advisor to the secretary of defense.

TikTok is a social media, video-hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

Members of the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on cyber, information technologies and innovation heard testimony from Plumb and Army Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, commander of U.S. Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service.

The problem with TikTok is that a large number of Americans use it, and China may have the ability to direct misinformation through it, as well as collect data from it, said Plumb. The scale and scope of the platform is problematic.

Policy makers need to be aware of these threats, be able to quantify them, and be able to take action against them, he said.

Nakasone said, "If you consider one-third of the adult population receives their news from this app, one-sixth of our children are saying they're constantly on this app, if you consider that there's 150 million people every single day that are obviously touching this app, this provides a foreign nation a platform for information operations, a platform for

surveillance, and a concern we have with regards to who controls that data."

The department has already prohibited the use of TikTok on government phones, the general noted.

"I think the broader discussion obviously rests with the policymakers now. Certainly, this is a piece that our nation has to consider," he said.

There are going to be other applications like this, and there needs to be a policy in place that balances the ability to share information with protection from adversaries' ability to conduct surveillance and information operations against the United States, Nakasone said.

The general said there's a difference between TikTok and American-based social media platforms.

China has already said they're going to "touch the data at any time they want to touch this data. This concerns me," Nakasone said.

Plumb said that for decades, China has used its cyber capabilities to steal sensitive information, intellectual property and research from U.S. public- and private-sector institutions, including the defense industrial base.

"Chinese cyber intrusions are the most prolific in the world. In crisis, PRC leaders believe that achieving information dominance will enable them to seize and keep the strategic initiative, disrupt our ability to mobilize, to project and

sustain the joint force, and to ensure the PRC's desired end state," Plumb said, referring to China.

Plumb also testified that Russia engages in persistent, malicious cyber activities to support its global espionage campaigns, steal intellectual property, disrupt critical infrastructure and promote disinformation.

Russia has also demonstrated that it uses cyber as a key component of its wartime strategy, particularly against Ukraine, he said.

Other persistent cyber threats arise from North Korea, Iran and transnational criminal organizations, Plumb said.

"Together, our adversaries use cyberspace to conduct operations against the Department of Defense Information Network and the U.S. homeland. They do this to weaken our allies and partners and to undermine U.S. interests," Plumb said.

Plumb described actions the department has taken in both defensive and offensive cyberspace. He said the president's fiscal year 2024 budget request included $13.5 billion for cyberspace activities, prioritizing investments in cyberspace workforce, operations, research and capabilities.

"Operating in cyberspace today is an essential part of the department's ability to deter aggression and ensure our nation's security," he said. (David Vergun)

Proposed BARMM district engineering office gains support

COTABATO CITY - The Public Works Committee of the Bangsamoro Parliament

OTABATO CITY - The Public Works Committee of the Bangsamoro Parliament approved a committee report for a proposed resolution supporting the call of a committee report for a resolution the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to create and organize a district engineering President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to create and a district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Muslim au- office of the Department of Public Works and (DPWH) in the Muslim autonomous region tonomous region.

Parliament tackles proposed Bangsamoro Science High School System

national experts, as well as relevant stakeholders from all provinces and cities within BARMM and other science high schools, will be consulted during a series of public consultations and hearings planned for the proposed measure.

The Public Works Committee said it is necessary to expedite infrastructure projects, especially the repairs and maintenance of the national road, bridges, and highways in BARMM.

It also adopted Resolutions Nos. 99 and 84 urging the DPWH to give top priorities to the national highways and bridges for repairs, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, and maintenance.

Public Works Committee Chairman Hussein Muñoz said they will present the report when the second regular session opens. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

BTA to discuss legislative measures in 2nd regular sessions

COTABATO CITY - The Bangsamoro Parliament’s Rules Committee tackled several items on the agenda, including legislative measures that had been referred to the committee and the schedule for the second regular session.

Committee Chair Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba said the proposed measure contained in BTA Bill No. 43, calls for the Bangsamoro government administrative center in Parang town in Maguindanao province, to house the Office of the Chief

Minister, the Bangsamoro Parliament, and various ministries, offices, and agencies.

Alba said they also adopted a resolution urging Congress to create a lone

congressional district for Cotabato City. The Parliament is also set to open its second regular session in May. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

CSSD wants recovery program for typhoon victims

relief assistance.

COTABATO CITY - The Bangsamoro Parliament’s Committee on Science and Technology (COST) deliberated on a measure seeking to establish a Bangsamoro Science High School System.

The Parliament Bill No. 37, also known as the "Bangsamoro Sci-

ence High School System (BSHS) System Act of 2022," which was introduced by the Government of the Day, will offer a scholarship program to qualified learners in the region who want to pursue a profession in science and technology.

Various regional and

The COST members agreed also to jointly convene a meeting with the Committee on Basic, Higher, and Technical Education and the Committee on Finance, Budget, and Management, and to refer PB No. 37 to that committee as well. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Media forum held, BTA accomplishments hailed

COTABATO CITY – Bangsamoro lawmakers recently conducted a media forum here on the accomplishments of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), including important legislations, among them the Electoral Code.

Journalists from various outfits attended the forum organized by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, in collaboration with the Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division.

Floor Leader Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba, who was among the resource speakers, outlined the legislative agenda of the BTA and the salient features of

the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, while Deputy Floor Leader Atty. Raissa Jajurie also discussed the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

The resource speakers also discussed the role of the BARMM media in the Parliament.

Since the media has become an integral part of delivering accurate and timely information

to the public, organizers said the forum provided the media with accurate information and how legislators work hard to pass laws that will benefit the Bangsamoro people and the BARMM. Stakeholders hailed the BTA accomplishments. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Parliament’s Committee on Social Services and Development (CSSD) has approved a resolution requesting the Government of the Day to fast-track the implementation of an early recovery

program for all affected BARMM communities from the devastation left behind by Tropical Storm Paeng (Nalgae) in October last year, and direct all ministries and line agencies to extend the implementation of emergency

CSSD Chair Engr. Aida Silongan said a joint meeting with the Committee on Finance, Budget, and Management has been set to discuss the assistance needed by the affected families and create a committee report that will be presented in the plenary.

She said the proposed measures that would protect the rights of internally displaced persons in BARMM will also be the subject of public discussions by CSSD. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

BARMM buffer fund sought

COTABATO CITY - The Bangsamoro Parliament’s Finance, Budget, and Management Committee deliberated on Parliament Bill No. 41, also known as the BARMM Buffer Fund Act of 2022.

The Parliament Bill No. 41, filed by the Government of the Day, proposes allocating a P500 million buffer fund to ensure timely salary payments to nationally funded workers supervised by BARMM ministries or offices.

The buffer fund will also be used to compensate for any delays in the

transfer or download of funds for the payment of salaries and other benefits to affected employees.

According to the reports, the Ministry of Social Services and Development and the Ministry of Health both had 1,769 and

1,956 affected employees under nationally funded programs, respectively.

Another meeting will be held to further discuss the proposed measure.

(LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Benepisyo ng mga senior citizens dapat ibigay

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Continued from page 1

alinsunod sa batas. Ito ay matapos na maraming reklamo mula sa mga senior citizens at kanilang pamilya sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng bansa na nagsusumbong dahil sa hindi pagbibigay sa kanila ng mga pribilehiyo.

Sinabi ni Abalos na ayon sa Expanded Senior Citizens Act, nararapat bigyan ng mga kaukulang tulong ng gobyerno ang mga senior citizen para sa trabaho, edukasyon, kalusugan, serbisyong panlipunan, pabahay, pampublikong sasakyan, pati na mga karagdagang tulong kagaya ng social pension at mandatory Philhealth coverage.

“Nagampanan na ng ating mga senior citizen ang kanilang mga tungkulin bilang mga mamamayan ng bansa. Ngayong matatanda na sila, ibalik naman natin sa kanila ang mga benepisyo na binibigay ng batas para maramdaman nila na mahalaga silang kasapi ng lipunan,” ani Abalos.

Sinabi ni Abalos na malinaw sa batas na bibigyan ang mga senior citizens ng 20% na diskwento o exemption mula sa value added tax para sa goods and services tulad ng gamot, influenza at pneumococcal vaccines, professional fees ng mga doktor sa mga ospital at iba pang medical facilities at medical and dental services ayon sa mga patakaran ng Department of Health (DOH) at Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

May kaukulang 20% diskwento rin sa pamasahe para sa mga pampublikong sasakyan maging sa mga eroplano at barko, bayad sa mga sine, concert at iba pa, at fu-

neral and burial services para sa namatay na senior citizen.

Dagdag ni Abalos, mayroon ding karagdagang 5% diskuwento ang mga senior citizens sa bayarin sa kuryente at tubig, basta ang mga ito ay nakapangalan sa kanila at hindi lalampas sa 100 kilowatt hours ng kuryente at 30 cubic meters naman sa tubig ang nakunsumo.

Nilinaw rin niya na ayon sa batas, kailangan lamang mag-presenta ang mga senior citizens ng alin man sa mga sumusunod para matanggap ang mga benepisyo at pribilehiyo ayon sa batas — identification card mula sa Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs, passport, o iba pang dokumento na nagpapakita na siya ay 60 anyos pataas na.

Sa kanyang Memorandum Circular 2023-045, sinabi ni Abalos kung sakaling magbibigay ng additional benefits ang mga pamahalaang lokal sa mga senior citizen sa kanilang sinasakupan, hindi kinakailangang humingi pa ng additional requirements bilang patunay na sila ay residente doom bukod sa alin man sa sumusunod: barangay certification, contract of lease, proof of billing o valid government ID.

“Hindi rin kailangang rehistradong botante ang senior citizens bago siya makatanggap ng benepisyo na ibibigay ng LGUs. Hindi po requirement iyon,” ani Abalos.

Maliban sa mga discount, sinabi ni Abalos na exempted sa pagbabayad ng buwis ang mga senior citizens na minimum wage earners ayon sa RA 9504.

Sa mga pangangailan-

gan ng kalusugan, pinaalalahan din ni Abalos ang mga pamahalaang lokal na bigyan ang mga senior citizen ng libreng serbisyo sa kalusugan at ngipin, at laboratories sa lahat ng mga pampublikong pasilidad ayon na rin sa mga patakaran ng DOH at PhilHealth. Ang mga indigent o mahihirap na senior citizen ay may libre ring bakuna laban sa trangkaso at pneumonia.

“Tutulong ang DILG at ang mga pamahalaang lokal para masiguro na tuloy-tuloy ang mga mga benepisyo at pribilehiyong ipinagkakaloob ng Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System at Pag-IBIG sa mga nagtatrabaho pang mga senior citizen hanggang kaya pa ng pondo ng gobyerno,” wika ni Abalos.

Sa mga senior citizen naman na nais ipagpatuloy ang kanilang pag-aaral, maaari rin silang bigyan ng tulong edukasyon para sa mga kursong bokasyunal o panandaliang kurso sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng scholarship, grant, tulong pinansiyal, subsidy at iba pang mga insentibo tulad ng tulong pambili ng libro, mga materyales sa pag-aaral, at uniporme basta pasado ang senior citizen sa mga kinakailangan sa pagpasok.

Upang mapagaan ang kanilang pang-araw-araw na buhay, sinabi rin ni Abalos na kailangang siguruhin ng mga pamahalaang lokal na magtalaga ng express lanes para sa mga senior citizen sa mga pribado at pampublikong establisimyento, at kung wala nito, bibigyan sila ng prayoridad sa serbisyo. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Metrobank named PH’s Best Bank for ultra-high-net-worth clients

METROPOLITAN BANK & Trust Company's (Metrobank) Private Wealth business bags two accolades at the 2023 Asiamoney Private Bank Awards, further strengthening its position as the preferred partner of Ultra-High Net Worth segment.

Asiamoney Awards

Best Bank recognizes and celebrates banks that have excelled across a range of core activities over the past 12 months, specifically in Asia.

Metrobank garnered the Best Domestic Private Bank in the Philippines award for the second straight year. It was also named as the Best Bank for the Ultra-High Net Worth clients.

Metrobank’s performance versus competitors, successes in achieving market share, and ability to cope with difficult or changing market conditions, were among the reasons why Asiamoney named Metrobank as the winner for both categories.

Metrobank’s Private Wealth Division has managed to deliver exceptional results in 2022 amid challenging market conditions.

“Although the Covid-19 era was rough

on the broader industry, Metrobank used the disruption to build up its internal muscle. It put relationship managers under stringent certification and training programs, for instance. That boosted quality and efficiency in product areas such as treasury and trust, basic derivatives, cash management, loans packaging, and consumer lending,” said Asiamoney.

On top of Metrobank’s top-notch pool of relationship managers, Asiamoney also recognized that this significant growth of the business was fueled by the Bank’s strategic efforts to leverage its extensive branch banking network for targeted acquisition, and innovative financial solutions. These resulted in improved client coverage and service delivery.

“Metrobank’s dynamic and holistic approach to managing the wealth of our clients is a key factor for our continued recognition as the preferred partner of the Ultra-High-NetWorth segment. But our mission goes beyond financial management.

At the core, our purpose has always centered on enabling our clientele to fulfill their goals and

maximize opportunities in front of them, through financial strategies tailor-made for each client and their respective families,” said Lizette Perez, who heads Metrobank’s Private Wealth Division.

“This recognition is a testament to our commitment in becoming the best partner and most trusted financial advisor for Filipino affluent families. With this, we’re proud to say that our clients remain in good hands,” she added.

The Bank’s Private Wealth team was established in 2016. Since then, the business has rapidly and successfully captured the attention of the Ultra-High-NetWorth segment in the Philippines. Moreover, through Metrobank Private Wealth, customers are able to have access to the entire product suite of the Metrobank Group.

Last year, Metrobank brought home major awards from top global financial publications. Euromoney and the Banker named it as the Best Bank in the Philippines for 2022. It was also recognized as the Strongest Bank in the Philippines by The Asian Banker for 2021 and 2022. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Bangsamoro Parliament adjourns sine die; passes Electoral Code, three other bills, 60 resolutions

code, the Parliament also approved the regional budget for 2023, allocating the majority of funds to health, education, infrastructure, and social services.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Local Government, to which the local governance code was referred, completed five rounds of public consultations in all BARMM provinces and at the national level.

The BLGC is still at the committee level and is now up for committee deliberation.

According to the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the BTA, in its capacity as the interim government of the region, is responsible for enacting seven priority codes. Administrative, civil service, education, electoral, local governance, revenue, and indigenous people’s rights are all among these priority codes.

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 first quarter of the year. The passing of the electoral code is seen as a major step towards ensuring a more transparent and democratic election process in the Bangsamoro region. It will provide the structural, functional, and procedural principles for conducting elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referenda, and recall proceedings in the Bangsamoro region.

Ebrahim said that this would encourage political parties with genuine principles to participate in free and fair elections across the region. "Let us build on this positive momentum to finish the remaining priority codes and other important legislation as soon as possible," he said.

The historic legislation, according to Speaker Atty. Panga-

lian Balindong, will "rehabilitate the electoral system in our country" and create new political reforms.

He noted that local elections had been tarnished by corruption, irregularities, and violence perpetrated by a small number of people, and that the majority of the electorate had become their unwilling victims as a result of a flawed electoral system.

According to Balindong, this is an opportunity to correct the system that has contributed to political degeneration and has become a source of cultural shame. "It is an opportune time for us to set a new stage for our future leaders to lead our people by exemplifying honesty, equality, and empowering the true voice of democracy," he said.

Aside from the electoral

Four of the seven have already been enacted, including the administrative, civil service, education, and electoral codes.

As they worked together toward a shared goal of bettering the lives of the Bangsamoro people, the second parliament under the Marcos administration started its regular sessions, ditching the "majority and minority" tags.

Balindong said that the parliament's achievements during the session demonstrate its commitment to improving the region's political, economic, and social landscape.

The first regular session of Parliament ended with the approval of four bills and the adoption of 60 resolutions. The MPs introduced 164 bills and 207 resolutions. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Sindangan, gitamnan sa sibuyas sa ZNAg program

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Zamboanga del Norte Agricultural Extension (ZNAg) Program.

Kini mihatag ngadto sa Upper Piao Farmers Association sa 400 gramos nga liso sa sibuyas bombay sa Upper Piao sa Sindangan ning lalawigan. Ang OPAG pinaagi ni Provincial Agriculturist Maybel Bustaliño mihimo’g aksyon aron ang katawhan ning probinsya mahatagan ug supply sa sibuyas bombay sa hamubo nga presyo.

Si Cirilo Maata, Assistant Coordinator sa ZNAg Program sa OPAG ug Carmen Putian, Farm Foreman sa nasangpit nga buhatan, mipasabot nga bisan paman sa unsa ka sinsitibo ug atimanunon pag-ayo ang sibuyas bombay, gipaningkamutan ug gitun-an pag-ayo nila kini nga magmalampuson aron adunay maani sa umaabot nga panahon.

Ang ZNAg Program mihatag sa Upper Piao Farmers Association sa Sindangan sa maong 400 gramos nga liso sa sibuyas bombay nga naila usab sa pangalan nga sibulyon o red onions.

Sa nasayran nga sa 400 gramos nga liso sa sibuyas bombay, adunay 1,000 square meters ang luna sa yuta nga matamnan niini. Gibana-bana kini nga moani ngadto sa 900-1,000 kilos karong umaabot bulan sa Hunyo niining tuiga.

Samtang si Bienvenido Bercasio, President sa Upper Piao Farmers Association, nagpasalamat ni Nanay Nene ug ni Bustaliño nga mihatag sa maong proyekto alang kanila nga mga mag-uuma. Sumala pa nga dako kaayo’g gikatabang kanilang mga mag-uuma ang ZNAg Program, tungod sa kalisod karong panahona.

Probe sought on condition of facilities in National Center for Mental Health

SENATOR RAFFY Tulfo has filed a resolution seeking to investigate the tragic condition of patients at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) facilities who are not receiving the specialized care and treatment they deserve because of the hospital's poor facilities.

Nasaksihan mismo sa Provincial Information Center kung unsaon ang pag transplant sa semilya sa sibuyas bombay ngadto sa ilang tamnanan. Dugang pa nga tanan nilang mga panginahanglanon gikan sa binhi, pagtikad sa yuta, abono, mga materyales sa pag-panguma ilabi na ang makina sa tubig nga sarang magamit sa ilang garden, gihatag kini sa kagamhanang probinsyal.

Samtang adunay 2,800 ka mga punoan sa water melon ug 1,500 ka punuan sa kalabasa ang gi-ugmad usab sa maong kahugpongan nga gikalatid nga anihon karong bulan sa Mayo. (Chariz Velasco)

Tulfo filed Senate Resolution (SR) No.562 directing the Senate Committee on Health to conduct an inquiry on the condition of the facilities in the NCMH to ensure that patients receive propercare and to address the reported corruption in its management.He filed the resolution after asurprise ocular inspection at the NCMH following reports that the mental healthpatients in the hospital are being treated unjustly or even worse than animals."Nakakalungkot na makita ang kalunos-lunos na kalagayan ng ilang mgapasyente sa NCMH sa Mandaluyong. Kung mahina ang iyong sikmura, tiyak namasusuka ka sa

sobrang baho ng kanilang ward. Daig pa ang amoy ng kulungan ngbaboy."Sa sahig sila natutulog at walangbanig, kumot o unan. Nagsisiksikan na parang mga sardinas at sobrang init namistulang pugon dahil walang ventilation at kulang sa electric fan," he said.Tulfo recalled that he first inspectedPavilion 8 or the Female Ward that smelled of patients' feces and urine, whichwas made even awful by the smell of garbage dumped outside. He also inspected Pavilion4 or the Forensic Ward housing patients with pending court cases. He said the cramped pavilion had noventilation and housed some 50 patients although its capacity is only for 10people.Tulfo said he wants to know the rootcauses of the problems and lapses in the facilities and operations of NCMH, aswell as assess the quality of care, treatment, and support provided to patientsin the hospital.A member of the Senate Commit-

tee onHealth, Tulfo also stressed the need to hold accountable those responsible forcorruption or any lapses, negligence, or violations of laws, rules, andregulations governing mental health care services.Tulfo said that there was one abandonedpavilion in NCMH, and its construction was not finished despite a budget of 60million pesos. In fact, Tulfo further divulged that it was also the reason why theformer chief of NCMH was murdered. He was referring to the July 2020 killing ofNCMH chief Roland Cortez, who was shot dead by two motorcycle gunmen who alsokilled his driver Ernesto dela Cruz in Tandang Sora in Quezon City.He said that that budget allocated bythe government for NCMH should be used to improve the quality of care andsupport provided to patients instead of being pocketed by corrupt people usingthe money for their own benefits.

(Mindanao Examiner)

Speaker Atty. Pangalian Balindong

(Photo: Joueue Sacol Ramirez)

EDCA will protect Philippines: Marcos

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 additional EDCA sites and these are in the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana town and Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan province; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu town in Isabela province; and Balabac Island in Palawan province.

The naming of these locations follows a February 2023 announcement in which the United States and the Philippines committed to designate four new EDCA sites in strategic areas.

Malaysia lists Sulu sultan as terrorist

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1

French arbitration court last year to settle a dispute with the Malaysian government over a colonial-era land deal.

Malaysian media reported that Khairul Dzaimee Daud, director-general of the Prime Minister’s Department’s legal affairs division, said the home ministry has listed Sultan Muhammad Fuad A. Kiram I as a terrorist.

Royal

Sulu Force Sulu Force

According to the Free Malaysia Today, Khairul said Fuad has been linked to the Royal Sulu Force (RSF), which was also classified as a terrorist group, after the ailing Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, sent about 200 followers headed by his brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram to Sabah in February 2013 to assert their claim to and supposed historical rights over the oil-rich state.

Jamalul’s group rejected Malaysian demand for them to surrender peacefully and fighting erupted in Lahad Datu town where more than 60 of the sultan’s men were killed and over 300 Filipinos arrested on suspicion that they were aiding the group of Agbimuddin or the RSF.

Malaysia also put Jamalul and his brother on its wanted list and branded them as terrorists for intruding into Sabah and killing and decapitating 10 policemen and soldiers in separate clashes on the island.

Agbimuddin managed to escape the Malaysian assault in Sabah, while Sultan Jamalul died in October the same year from a lingering illness at age 75. Agbimuddin died from cardiac arrest in 2015 in Tawi-Tawi province.

There was no immediate statement or reaction from Fuad on the terrorist tag which took effect on April 6.

Khairul said the unity government would be taking a new approach in dealing with the Sulu heirs’ claim. “Previously, the approach (to deal with the case) was in the form of ‘firefighting’ with regards to the countries involved,” he said at a press conference Tuesday, April 11 in Putrajaya City.

He said, previously, the government would appeal against decisions by foreign courts and seek to set aside the awards granted. However, he said under the new leadership, the approach had been changed to an “offensive” mode, adding that “the best defence is (to) attack.”

Khairul also said the Cabinet had also agreed to the appointment of a UK-based public relations firm to manage the global narrative and media strategy regarding the case. However, he did not reveal the name of the firm, but said the legal affairs division would engage with stakeholders in Sabah on the case.

He also said Wisma Putra or the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had sent a diplomatic note to the 171 countries where a US$14.92 billion (RM62.59 billion) award granted by the French arbitration court to the heirs of the last Sulu sultan was enforceable under the New York Convention.

Khairul said the foreign minister would also visit the four countries involved in the arbitration of the case, namely France, Spain, Luxembourg and Netherlands, to explain to his counterparts the issues and the facts surrounding the claim.

Seizure order

Last March, French bailiffs attempted to enforce a seizure order on three Paris properties owned by the Malaysian government in a case linked to a $15 billion court award to descendants of a former sultan, according to the heirs' lawyers and court documents.

The bailiffs tried to assess the properties recently following a court-issued seizure order in December, but Malaysian officials at the Paris embassy turned them away, the lawyers and the Malaysian government said.

The Paris properties are only the third set of Malaysian assets that the heirs have publicly acknowledged going after. They have secured a seizure order for Luxembourg units of state oil firm Petronas and have sought permission from a Dutch court to seize assets in the Netherlands.

The award is enforceable globally against most Malaysian assets, aside from diplomatic premises, under a UN convention on arbitration.

Despite the stay, a French judge in December 2022 granted the heirs' request to seize three Malaysian government properties in Paris to settle a debt of 2.3 million euros ($2.46 million) that they said was owed to them, according to court documents shared by the heirs' lawyers.

Malaysia had been ordered to pay the heirs the sum under a preliminary arbitration award granted to them in Spain, which was not bound by the stay in France, the lawyers said.

Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo

The Sultanate of Sulu was founded in 1457 and is believed to exist as a sovereign nation for at least 442 years. It stretches from a part of the island of Mindanao in the east, to Sabah, in the west and south, and to Palawan, in the north. It continues to lay claim to North Borneo, now Sabah in Malaysia after obtaining it from Brunei as a gift for helping put down a rebellion on Borneo Island.

The British leased Sabah and transferred control over the territory to Malaysia after the end of World War II. But the sultanate said it had merely leased North Borneo in 1878 to the British North Borneo Company for an annual payment of 5,000 Malayan dollars then, which was increased to 5,300 Malayan dollars in 1903.

North Borneo was annexed by Malaysia in 1963 after a referendum organized by the Cobbold Commission in 1962 saw the people of Sabah voting overwhelmingly to join Malaysia, but Kuala Lumpur continued to pay the Sulu Sultanate some 5,300 ringgits a year on the basis of the Sulu royals’ ceding the Borneo state and only stopped after the Lahad Datu incursion by the RSF members. (Mindanao Examiner, Free Malaysia Today)

In addition to the five existing sites, these new locations will strengthen the interoperability of the U.S. and Philippine Armed Forces and allow the Pentagon to respond more seamlessly together to address a range of shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, including natural and humanitarian disasters.

The U.S. Department of Defense said it will work in lockstep with the Philippine Department of National Defense and Armed Forces to rapidly pursue modernization projects at these locations.

The Pentagon said it intends to expand funding on top of the $82 million it has allocated toward infrastructure investments at the existing EDCA sites. In addition to supporting Alliance commitments, these investments will also spur economic growth and job opportunities in their respective provinces, it said.

"The United States is

committed to ensuring its activities around EDCA sites are responsive to the needs and priorities of local communities, and we will continue to consult closely with the Philippines on new opportunities that serve our shared interests. The United States and the Philippines have stood shoulder-to-shoulder as friends and allies for more than seven decades, unwavering in our treaty commitments and our shared vision for a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous region. The strides we are making to expand the EDCA and modernize the alliance will ensure this vision endures far into the future," the Pentagon said.

Marcos said the goal of the EDCA is to defend the country’s eastern coast, noting the Philippines’ continental shelf on Luzon’s eastern side was also put into consideration.

He said the locations would not be used for offensive actions. “Hindi tayo papayag, ang Pilipinas, hindi tayo papayag na gamitin ang mga bases natin para sa kahit anong offensive na action. Ito ay para lamang tulungan ang Pilipinas, pagka nangangailangan ng tulong ang Pilipinas. Ang ginagawa lamang natin ay ipagpatuloy natin na pinapatibay natin ang depensa ng ating teritoryo, ang pagdepensa ng Republika,” he said.

According to Marcos, the additional EDCA sites

give the United States, which has a robust postWorld War II security partnership with the Philippines, “a chance to be able to come and help us in any way.”

“Lahat ito existing na ‘yan. Mayroon na talaga tayong… kampo diyan na dati pa. At ang kaibahan lamang at sa ginawa natin dito ay ‘yung EDCA ay binibigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga — our only treaty partner, which is the United States, we give the chance to be able to come and help us in any way, lalong-lalo na… nag-umpisa talaga ‘yan sa pagtulong sa mga disaster relief, ganyang klaseng bagay,” he said.

The two countries have been seeking to repair ties that were fractured under Marcos‘s predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. Beijing’s growing assertiveness on Taiwan and its building of bases in the South China Sea have given fresh impetus to Washington and Manila to strengthen their partnership, which is underpinned by a mutual defense treaty.

Marcos has insisted he will not let China trample on the Philippines’ maritime rights – in contrast to Duterte who was reluctant to criticize Beijing. Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including the Spratlys, ignoring an international ruling that its claims have no legal basis. (Mindanao Examiner)

Sailors assigned to the guided missile destroyer USS Porter man an M240B machine gun during a sea and anchor evolution in Rostock, Germany. (Photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Sawyer Connally)

JamalulKiramIIIreadsacopyofTheMindanaoExaminerRegionalNewspaper whosebannerwas“MalaysiaGoesForTheKill”.Kiramorderedhisyoungerbrother, Agbimuddin,toleadseveralhundredfightersinanarmedincursionintoSabahin February2013inanefforttoregainpartoftheisland.(PhotobyMarkNavales)

Pictures in the News

Photos from the Office of the Sulu Provincial Governor, Jaques Tutong, Maimbung Municipal Government, Rep. Shernee Tambut, Radyo Pilipinas Jolo, Noenyrie Asiri, and Aziz Salapuddin

April 17-23, 2023

Across :

1. Crowd’s sound

5. Spanish house

9. Truman’s monogram

12. Green Gables girl

13. So be it!

14. “Wow!”

15. Meeting

17. GI’s club

18. Soothe

19. Fright

21. Category

Highway measure

24. Protestant denomination 26. Sample 30. Become old 31. Passover meal 33. Pea capsule 34. Roman tyrant

Tan and white horse 38. Limerick, e.g. 40. Arctic 41. R&B singer ___ Franklin

55. Coastal bird

Down :

1. Cloth scrap

2. ___ roll (2 wds.)

3. Aardvark

4. Go over again

5. Part of TLC

6. Frech pal

7. Guard

8. Heavenly being

9. 60 minutes

10. Fair (hyph.)

11. Norse thunder god

16. Highway curves

20. Tomato color

21. Family group

22. Olympic sled

23. Lady’s title

25. Revoked 27. Afterword

28. Da Vinci’s “___ Lisa”

29. Bloodhound’s clue

32. Wrangler

35. Make a choice

37. Early car (2 wds.)

39. Chicago’s airport

41. Operatic melody

42.

43.

Answer to last week’s crossword: Weekly Sudoku:Answer to last week:

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Rebels urged to surrender

CEBU CITY – The Philippine military has renewed its call for communist rebels

EBU CITY – The has renewed its call for communist rebels in the Visayas region to surrender peacefully and to take advantage of the in the to surrender and to take of the government’s amnesty offer and live a peaceful life with their families amnesty offer and live a peaceful life with their families.

Army Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, chief of the Visayas Command (VisCom), said the number of the New People’s Army (NPA) is steadily decreasing due to the mass surrender of rebels and continued military campaign against those who wage terrorism.

“The door of genuine peace remains open for you. Grab the opportunity and take it while you still have the chance. Follow the lead of your former comrades, lay down your arms, return to the folds of the law, and live a peaceful life with your families,” Arevalo said, adding, the NPA Arevalo said the NPA is crumbling as they continue to lose their foothold in the Visayas.

“The remaining communist fighters have only two options, either to stay on the course of their false armed struggle and fall to the long arms of justice, or return to the fold of the law and enjoy a peaceful and progressive life with their loved ones,” he said.

Philippines military chief General Andres Centino has also ordered the deployment of additional troops in the Visayas. He said the deployment of more soldiers in the region is necessary to further intensify the campaign against the rebel group, especially in Samar and Negros provinces where the NPA is operating.

“It is important for the Visayas Command to be on top of the situation, supervise the activities of the

different Joint Task Forces, and ensure that the plans are understood and implemented on the ground,” Centino said.

He did not say how many troops, military air crafts and navy boats were being deployed in the Visayas.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, 83, died in exile in The Netherlands in December 2022.

Sison had lived in self-exile in The Netherlands since then-President Corazon Aquino released him from detention in 1986, shortly after the “People Power” revolt overthrew dictator Ferdinand Marcos,

Cebu extends ban on Negros pigs, pork products

the father and namesake of the current Philippine president.

Battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting, however, have weakened the guerrilla group, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and remains a major Philippine security threat. The communist rebellion

has left about 40,000 combatants and civilians dead. It also has stunted economic development, especially in the countryside, where the military says about 3,500 insurgents are still active.

Past administrations had engaged in on and off peace negotiations with communist rebels represented by the umbrella

organization National Democratic Front of the Philippines, where Sison served as chief political consultant. Former President Rodrigo Duterte ended peace talks in March 2019, and negotiations have not resumed.

CEBU CITY – Governor

Gwendolyn Garcia has extended the ban on live hogs and pork products from Negros Island until April 20 as Cebu province continues to battle the African swine fever (ASF) virus in 12 localities, including this capital city.

Garcia, in an executive order, also prohibited the entry of piglets and semen, apart from the live hogs and sows as well as products that contain pork. “The Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Cebu Port Authority, Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority, and component cities

Pigs

and municipalities within the territorial jurisdiction of the Province of Cebu are called upon to monitor the strict implementation of this executive order,” she said.

Garcia said there is a need to confer with the hog industry players, the mayors in Cebu, and the governors in southern and northern Negros Island provinces in order to come up with a common protocol against ASF, hog cholera, and other swine diseases. She also invoked the “general welfare” clause of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code (LGC) in extending the ban on pigs and pork from Negros.

She even cited the devolved functions of the province in terms of its role in agriculture, especially in preventing and controlling animal pests and diseases. “Under Section 465 of the LGC, the Provincial Government has the power to adopt adequate measures to safeguard and conserve the resources of the province in coordination with the mayors of the component cities and municipalities,” Garcia said.

The governor prohibited officials from the Bureau of Animal Industry from conducting further testing for the ASF in Cebu and designated only municipal or city veterinarians or agriculturists to run the test. This after the agency made an advisory raising the number of localities where pigs tested positive for ASF to 12 in in Bogo City, Carcar City, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, Liloan, Mandaue City, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga, Talisay City, and Tuburan. (John Rey Saavedra)

Organic Kopi Luwak or Civet coffee isn’t really pricey

Coffee lovers in the Philippines may now enjoy the best and the most expensive coffee in the world - Kopi Luwak - but not as pricey as every connoisseur thinks.

Kopi Luwak is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet’s intestines, and after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected.

In Manila, a kilogram of Civet coffee sells for as high as P15,000 and over $500 dollars abroad.

But Kopi Luwak can now be enjoyed by every coffee lover for as low as P150 for a 16 oz. cup that comes with a drip bag, ground organic Civet coffee beans, two packets of brown sugar and a stirrer in a beautiful Kraft paper bag – thanks to the Mindanao Civet Coffee seller in Zamboanga City.

The new market player in the coffee business, although small, is now offering affordable organic Kopi Luwak – sourced and picked by farmers from the highlands of Mindanao, cleaned and dried and roasted to perfection to give coffee lovers that distinct aroma of Civet coffee berries – chocolaty and nutty and smooth bodied brewed drink.

Mindanao Civet Coffee, which started as a backyard reseller of coffee beans, now offers organic Kopi Luwak in 250 grams ground Civet coffee and 250 grams Civet coffee beans – all medium roasted to perfection.

Kopi Luwak is also available now in 3rd Cup Café at LM Metro Hotel in Zamboanga City, and resellers in Luzon, Cebu and other parts of Mindanao. The Mindanao Civet Coffee is a favorite among travellers and tourists and coffee connoisseurs. And for those who want the perfect gift for all occasions, Kopi Luwak is the best choice.

And those who are interested to resell or perhaps enjoy a daily hot cup or cold brew of Kopi Luwak may call the Mindanao Civet Coffee at this mobile number 0915-3976197. (AJC)

(John Rey Saavedra, Priam Nepomuceno, AP, Cebu Examiner)

Members of the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, with their faces painted red in this photo from the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.